Selectively positioned brush nozzle



Aus. 9, 1960 o'. L. ALLEN 2,948,014

SELECTIVELY POSITIONED BRUSH NOZZLE I IIV 111mm! 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 agnr A ll Il .i

GUn/.fe L Auf/v Aug' 9 1950 o. L. ALLEN 2,948,014

SELECTIVELY POSITIONED BRUSH NOZZLE Filed Oct. 26. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Au8- 9, 1950 o. l.. ALLEN 2,948,014

sELEcTIvELY PosITIoNEn BRUSH NozzLE Filed Oct. 26. 1954 4 Sheets-$heet 3 Aus. 9, 1960 o. L. ALLEN 2,948,014

SELECTIVELY POSITIONED BRUSH NOZZLE Filed Oct. 26. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 TJEIZ..-

Tlczll.

M ba

/ K INVENTOR 1Z0 g/ OL/'vfe .6. Auf/v /EQ United States Patent SELECTIVELY PGSITIONED BRUSH NOZZLE Oliver L. Allen, Riverside, Conn., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 26, 1954, Ser. N0. 464,803

6 Claims. (Cl. 15-371) This invention relates to the art of vacuum or suction cleaner operation and more particularly to a multi-pur pose nozzle or cleaning tool which may be selectively adapted for use on rugs having various 'depths of pile, or on fabric or similar oor coverings or alternatively on linoleum or even on plain hard surfaces such as wood.

Heretofore, wand manipulated nozzles for air suction cleaners have necessitated at least two totally different replaceable nozzles for use on such distinctively diierent surfaces as pile rugs and hard wood or similar plain surfaces.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner which tool may be selectively used as a rug cleaning nozzle, a combined rug cleaning and rug brushing nozzle or as a brush nozzle speciiically designed for cleaning a plain, hard surface such as linoleum or a wooden oor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved surface cleaning tool.

Another object is to provide a cleaning tool having a brush which is selectively operable to various positions with respect to the surface being cleaned.

Further objects and still other advantages of this invention will become apparent upon considering the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

:Figure 1 is a top plan view of a nozzle embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view with the nozzle bottom cover and brush partly broken away to show the interrelation of the various nozzle parts;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2, showing the rear brush cams with their three brush positions;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Figs. l and 2, showing the front brush cams with their two brush positions;

Figure 5 is a side plan view of the nozzle with the floor brush in operating position;

yFigure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the nozzle taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Figure 7 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 7 7, Fig. 4, and showing more complete structural details of the brush actuating mechanism;

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of a modication with portions of the brush and casing partly broken away to show the interrelation of the various parts of this particular embodiment;

Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9 9, Fig. 8, showing the floor brush in extended position ready for use;

Figure 10 is a section taken on the line 10 10, Fig. 8, showing the fio-or brush in lifted position and the nozzle ready for use solely as a rug nozzle;

Figure 11 is a partial section of the nozzle taken on against an upper stop;

ice.

Figure 12 is a vertical section of the nozzle taken on' the line 12-12, Fig. 10;

Figure 13 is a cross section taken lalong the line 13 13, Fig. 10, showing the brush locked up in retracted position (see cam arrangement Fig. 16);

Figure 14 is a similar cross sectional view to that shown in Fig. 13 with the control knob turned counterclockwise through a arc, showing the left half of the brush (front side) locked up in retracted position while the right half of the brush (rear side) is iloating against a downward spring bias (see cam arrangement Fig. 17);

Figure 15 is a similar cross section to that shown in. Fig. 13 with the control knob turned through a 180 arc,l showing the entire brush surface locked down into oor cleaning position (see cam arrangement Fig. 18); and

Figures 16, 17 and 18 show the orientation of the fronti and back cam members in the positions shown in Figs'. 13, 14 and 15, respectively, when looked at from the control knob end of the nozzle.

The cleaner nozzle forming the subject matter thereof comprises a single nozzle opening having associated therewith a brush which is selectively movable to operative and inoperative positions and in one modification is selectively movable so that only one portion of the brush element is in operative position. A slidable or rotatable cam device is used to retract or extend the spring biased brush into or out of its seat so as to make the nozzle adaptable for various surface cleaning operations.

Referring now more broadly to the drawings wherein the subject matter of this invention is shown in two embodiments, the conventional wand and flexible suction hose not being shown, Figs. l through 7 illustrate one embodiment. Cleaning tool 10 comprises a body portion 12 having a central tubular portion 14, to the rear of which is mounted a swivelled elbow 16 (more clearly y shown in cross section in Fig. 6). Elbow 16 is adapted to receive a wand or vacuum cleaner suction hose for connection to the conventional source of suction. The

single nozzle opening serves both as a pile rug and a bare Referring now in more detail -to the drawings, wherein a number of nozzles are shown, a single suction passageway 18, Fig. 2, leads from the nozzle opening to the suction conduit or connector elbow 16 which in turn is mounted on a wand or suction hose.

The brush structure 20, Fig. 4, is mounted within a peripheral chamber 24 for slidable movement and extends all around the periphery of the nozzle opening 18. Brush structure 20 slidably engages the lateral edges of slot or chamber 24 and thus is kept in lateral position without forward or backward displacement or sidewise displacement. Four sockets 26, Figs. 2 and 3, are formed in the body portion 12 to receive springs 28, Fig. 6, which press the brush structure 20 downward and outward from the chamber 24. 'Ihe extent of the downward movement of brush 20 is limited by pins 30 secured to the brush structure, Fig. 3 which ride on cam surfaces 31a and 32a of rear brush cam 31 and cam surfaces 41a and 42a, Figs. 4 and 7, of front brush cam 41.

`Both cams `31 and 41 are operatively connected to manipulating handle S0, Figs. l, 3 and 4, which is adapted for sliding motion as indicated by the arrow, Fig. l. An intermediate position of handle 50 locks the front half of the brush structure 20 in retracted position 41b, 42b, Fig. 4, while the rear half of brush structure 20 is left vin a oating position 31b, 32b, AFig. 3, spring biased against the rug Nor other surface being cleaned (see Fig.y is covered bya rubberv sheet 106 suitably moulded there. 14 for this corresponding position of the brush strucover and over the upper portion of nozzle body 112 as ture 120 as shown transversely in another embodiment). shown in Fig. 12 to completely enclose all the moving With handle:50.moved..all.,the.ewayj-to,1.thedeft; Fig..'1, parts. A pair of slots 109, 111 Fig. 9, through which both the front and rear portions ob thefbrushtrueture-- pass guide pin 109a and shaft 110a, respectively (aixed ZQrareelOGked-incompletely ,retracted...positions :within in the nozzle body 112), serve to maintain alignment of charnbe11...24IA by..cam.surfa.cesa 41c, 42c,fFig;-.4 and 531e;l the upwardly land downwardly" moving elements 100 and 32C, Fig. 3, respectiv'ely.-V (see Fig-.13.for-thiscorrespond. 101 of brush structure 120. A stoplS, Fig. .11, axed ingapositionltof. thebr.ush structure 1Z0-.as .shown .transby a-screwto'theinteriorof nozzle body 112 an'ests'the verlyq'n llumber embodimentyg v 10 upwardetravelsoffbrush structure 4120. Various flexiblen' A. bumper :or guard 'strip.60,-.Figs,f2, 3, 4 of rubber or sealingacovers such asi130, Fig-12, complete the' detailsof similanmaterialnis.securely anchored-inagroove in zthe'- the complete nozzle assembly. outentedge. of.;thei.body .12 of,.the.;nozzle.-: Endf glider". It is to .be understood that..the examples given are platesmgtt Serve 10, ho1d,.gua1.d,5trip f'6,..in.place.. A merely illustrative' and not limitative embodiments of this flexible.cover,.designated by I.tsatthe .rear` and-68 .at-the 15 invention which is .toabeadetermined solely by the scope front, Fig-76, serves. as...a -sealingmember `to` keep dust,:. of the appended claims. lint, etc., outwof: `Ythe 1'cam f. i'nechanism.; The-.outer edge. What I claim is: of memberstoA` and.68...is imbedded-in. guard strip- 60 r 1. In a vacuum cleaner tool, a member having a sucwhile...the:inner...,edgeof leach-serves as aguide .to the tiomtpassage .-therethrough1terminatingzin :anozzle inlet outenrside .of..brush.xstructure 20. ThebristlesZl rof-v20 disposed infanormallyhorizontal-plane, means"deiiningsV brush structure 20 :are shown in-.outward or iloorvclean-i a chamber-entirely.- surrounding said nozzle inletfand haw.'- ing position in Figs. 1 through 7. Figs. .10 through- -13 ingaan Openinggadjacent tofsaidplane,l a peripheral brush?. show-.the bristles 2120i. brush..structure 120 in retracted infsaidfA chambers having frontandrear, portionsfeaehrV position., reciprocablymountedl andfmovable .upwardlyand .downs-.1 The... modification4V shownl in` Figs'.l 8through 18 Y in- 25 Ward'lyindependently with respect: to said plane,resilie`nt elusive fis a some-.what ,similar vembodiment to thatdef v means-.urginggsaid brush downwardly withrespect tosaid scribed: above. Swivel. 4elbow-i116,l Figs. 8 vand '12, is plane, a irst-camt cooperating with said front portion'..V mounted.` on lnozzlebody. portion 112 in the usual fashion.. a .second'tcama.cooperatingzwith said rear portion',1and^r Aiwand .(not..shown)conducts suctionrthroughelbow. an operating member for moving said cams in unison;L 116. to .nozzle passageway .118 .and the opening of the 30 Saidfcams beinggso shapedthat in one: position tof 'fsaid nozzle to clean. y.a 4pile-.carpet` or when the `brush structurel OperatingA memberV saidcams. retain the -respective brush'. 12.0;...Figs. 9 and..10 is:lowered, to clean a hard-surface portions-infretractedfposition Aabove vsaid plane,V inwas suchaslinoleum onabare iioor.` second` position said rstcamfretains said ront'portionfr The..brushstructur.e 120. comprises a front framework` in fretractedzposition.while saidv secondcam releases said@ 10.0,.SFigs. 10 and 12 having upper and llower cam..ac. 35 rear portion for projection downwardly. belowfsaid .plane mated Surfaces 100g.. aud..,100b,. respectively, and a rear byfsaid resilient means. so as to yieldably engage a surface frameworkl 101,; 'Figs.-..9,\A v12, andy .13, likewise having.,v being Cleaned, and inaa third'position vsaid cams retain upper ...and .lower camactuated-surfaces 101aand'101b'; the respectiveportionsfin lowered position Vbelow said respectively/.1. plane. Y,

In.- this. :embodimennahe .rear portion, on1y,. of the .fw 2. In a vacuum cleaner'tool,Y a member `haviilg `a Suc-'- brush'structure L120 .isspring-biased'to downwardfposr.v tionpassage, therethroughv terminating 'in' a .nozzle 'inlet tiongby ksprings 12S-.held in rsodkets 126,1Fig. 12. Cams. disposed-inta normallyr-horizontal plane, means defining 100C,Figs. 12 through 18,... affixed to shaftu110awhenv a chamberentirely surrounding said nozzle inlet-and hav#V i turned.by.thumbscrew.onknurled knob. lltlso as-to beng an..opening adjacenttosaid'zplane, .a vbrush in said in xpositions-.shown in..Figs. ,.16 and v17- locks the front 45 chamber having front and rear portions each reciprocablyr' portion-of brush structure 120 up :in -its positionsshown mounted-and independently. movable upwardly and down, in ,'Figs..l3 and 14,respectively..v This is'etected by'camr- Wardlywith respectL to said plane, resilient"means'urging'` surface 100epressing-upwards against :upper actuated Said brush downwardly with respect to said"plane a surface...100a... In Y.the '.rear gpart. of. thebrush .structure 0 iirst carnsplateslidablymounted-in saidl member 'and 120,..next-to...knurleduknob 1110,.-,cam 101cas shown in cooperatinggwithsaid frontportionfa second'tcam plate i.

Figs,y 413. and: 16at.rst=-locks-.theback2portion-of brush slidably mounted in said member and cooperating withl`V structure-.120 upiinits-:retractedposition; a .quarter turn -1 said rear portion,-` and an operating mem-ber for=moving of knob 110 counterclockwise.-causes` camllc. to.as. Said cam=platesfin..unison;f;said .camfplates being formed! sumexthefpositionshown in Fig. 17 andaspring 128 forces with cam surfaces so shaped that in one position of saidv canractuated surfacevllatdownfonfthet lower midway operating-:membersaidacarrr plates vretainthe Jrespective dwell'. of cam. 101c-..as..shown:irr.-Fig;.f14.L This causes..` portions in inoperative positionzab'ove ysaid.plane,..in a the,.rear..half.ofrbrush.;structure12t1.to;,serve as a free-..- second-1positionA said tirs't carnplate` .retains lsaid-.front oating;.downwardly'spring biased element which readilyV -Y portion in said inoperative positionrwhiler saidrse'condt removes .thread,.,.1int,. etc... which `.-is dicultto` removeftcam plate releasesfsaidfrea'rportion forprojectioh down@ with-an-unaided airv stream.= -Thus ordi-nary air-cleaning. wardly below. saidfplanerbyV said 4resilient means so'asltoAV is 'supplemented byzjtthe; cleaningaactionfof"bristles 21l yieldably engage a surfacelbeing cleaned, and in a thirdf which are presse.d..againststhe. surfacefbeing cleaned-by' f position-'said camf'plates-retain" the respective portions theffreev floating jactiono, springs 128s inflowered positionfbelowsaidplane;V

An additional-f90? `counterclockwiseturning' of knob' 3. -In,-a vacuum cleaner'tool,`Y a"memberfhavin'g a suc-1.` 110..to|:|the-positionv shown in .Fig-.18, causes both -camsftion passage therethrough terminating in Va nozzle inletf 100cand..101c..to .lock the" entire -brush structure 120. in-V disposed-in:anormallyhorizontal plane, means defining to its outwardly extending posit-ion shown -in-.-Fg.f 15 'by a chambereentirely surrounding said nozzle inlet'and'hav-" thesaction of,camsdlltlc-and .101c;pressing.cam actuated ing an opening adjacent to said plane, a brush in said-vv surfaces :v -100b.` and ,10111; downwardly. This; position,; .7'0 chamber havingy front and rear-portions each recprocably suitable, fon-cleaning hard-#surfaces with .1the.:brush ele-p mountedand independently movable upwardly and downmentsizl: extendede is `.also.rshowxr'in '.Fig. 19..' Wardly With I'SPCt t0 Sai@ P13116 resilient means UIIg Tle.- front .and\:.;reanzf.framework10.0 and1101garespec .1. saidvbrush' downwardly-withrespect toi said plane, an

tively; .aredaeldtogethertfbyftia top :plate: @105fsuitablys operating. shaftrrotatably'mountedin said member, a'rst-z. weldethorfptherwise fastenedstheretoandtthe wholeunit 11.75 rotary cam secured to said shaft and ecooperatingzwithizg:

said front portion, and a second rotary cam secured to said shaft and cooperating with said rear portion, the profiles of said cams being such that in one position of said shaft said cams position the respective portions in inoperative position above said plane, in a second position said tirst cam positions said front portion in said inoperative position while said second cam releases said rear portion for projection downwardly below said plane by said resilient means so as to yieldably engage a surface being cleaned, and in a third position said cams position the respective portions in lowered position below said plane.

4. In a vacuum cleaner tool, a member having a suction passage therethrough terminating in a downwardly opening,r nozzle disposed in a normally horizontal plane, means defining a chamber entirely surrounding said nozzle and open at the lower edge thereof, a peripheral brush including front and rear portions mounted in said chamber and movable upwardly and downwardly with respect to said plane, resilient means urging said brush downwardly, and a single member operative from the exterior of said chamber and including a portion adjustable to a rst setting for positioning the front brush portion in a retracted position above said plane, and releasing the rear portion thereof for projection downwardly below said plane subject to the pressure of said resilient means to yieldingly engage a surface being cleaned, a second portion adjustable to a second setting for positioning both portions of said brush in retracted position above said plane, and a third portion adjustable to a third setting for positioning both of said brush portions in a projected position below said plane.

5. In a vacuum cleaner tool, a member having a suc tion passageway therethrough terminating in a downwardly opening cleaning nozzle disposed in a normally horizontal plane, a brush structure reciprocably mounted on said member in circumposed relation to said nozzle for movement downwardly and upwardly with respect to said plane, said brush including front and rear portions, cam means on said member including portions sequentially engageable with said front and rear brush portions for reciprocating said brush portions upwardly and downwardly with respect to said plane to extend and retract a lower eiective end of each brush portion to below and above said plane independently and in combination, a single manually operable member for actuating said cam means, and resilient means engaging said brush structure and biasing at least a portion thereof into operative free floating position in the absence of pressure applied by said cam means.

6. In a vacuum cleaner tool, a nozzle member having a suction passage therethrough terminating in a nozzle inlet disposed in a normally horizontal plane, a brush having front and rear portions each reciprocably mounted with respect to said nozzle member and independently movable upwardly and downwardly relative to said plane, resilient means urging said brush downwardly relative to said plane, rst cam means cooperating with said front portion, second cam means cooperating with said rear portion, and operating means for moving said cam means in unison, said cam means being so shaped that in one position of said operating means said cam means retain the respective brush portions in raised position above said plane, in a second position said rst cam means retains said front portion in raised position while said second cam releases said rear portion for downward movement by said resilient means to below said plane so as to yieldably engage a surface being cleaned, and in a third position said cam means retains both portions in lowered position below said plane.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 18,538 Martinet July 18, 1932 Re. 21,256 Brock Nov. 7, 1939 969,913 Spencer Sept. 13, 1910 1,694,273 Martinet Dec. 4, 1928 2,047,677 Edstrom July 14, 1936 2,153,457 Fechtenburg Apr. 4, 1939 2,182,146 Edstrom Dec. 5, 1939 2,184,401 Sellers Dec. 26, 1939 2,421,661 Taylor June 3, 1947 2,488,625 Hdlock Nov. 22, 1949 2,591,262 Humphrey Apr. 1, 1952 2,613,388 Walker Oct. 14, 1952 2,656,560 Smith Oct. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 77,554 Denmark May 17, 1954 122,289 Sweden July 20, 1948 213,420 Switzerland May l, 1941 

